Broadband radiometry for photodynamic therapy

Abstract

The effective irradiance is a useful measure to compare performances of different broadband light sources and to more precisely predict the outcome of a topical photodynamic therapy. The effective irradiance (or effective fluence rate) and the exposition time of the optical radiation usually determine the light dose. The effective irradiance (Eeff) takes into account the spectral irradiance of the source as well as the action spectrum, where the wavelength dependence of both optical diffusion through tissue and photosensitizer are considered. In practice there are no standard action spectra for the currently used photosensitizers. As a consequence, measured values of effective irradiance using different action spectra can not be compared. In order to solve this problem, the basis of the calibration theory developed for the broadband ultraviolet radiometry can be applied, where an experimental radiometer is compared with a standard radiometer. Here is presented a simple set of linear relations in the form Eeff = k . E, where E is the source irradiance and k a real positive value, here denoted as a characteristic of the radiometer, as valuable tools for correction of effective irradiances measured according to different action spectra. As a result, for two effective radiometers with different characteristics k1 and k2, measured values are Eeff and Qeff respectively, and it is easily shown that the value 1 2 E Q k k eff eff = ⋅ .